93 Million Miles of Mandalas

This week was all about mandalas! You can see the first half of the drawings here! It got a little crazy, and I did three cards on the last day of mandala week! More mandalas again, plus a mini-review of the Platinum Preppy fountain pen ⤵️ that I really like!

Just a side note -- about the value of doing art. It really can be a mental escape. The benefits flow HOURS after you take that art break. Think about the weeks where you do art regularly -- do you feel better -- like you have been able to relax?

When I'm feeling down or in pain 🐉⚠️☣️𐩕⚫️🌸🗯🐲🏋🏼‍♀️ it helps to take a break and draw or paint & listen to music. Maybe you could try that too? It is crucial for each of us to seek out positivity and possibility. Find something that you enjoy as a creative release [embroidery, drawing, playing the piano, making paint swatches]. Do that.

The ICAD challenge gives each of us SPACE to concentrate on creative work. That is ALL we do in ICAD. We create. Just because it's wonderfulness. Hey, here's the Spotify playlist that was in the mandala draw-alongs, as promised.

ICAD 35a/61, ink on 3x5” lined index card. This began with a mandala and lettering in dip pen, then painted with ink and a brush. I was definitely in need of lush saturated color!!!

ICAD 35b/61, ink on 3x5” lined index card. This began with a mandala in Noodler's Yellow in dip pen, then painted with ink and a brush.

How lush are all of those bleeds into and out of the yellow ink!!?!?!?

ICAD No. 35c/61 PITT brush pen on 3x5" lined index card. Began with an idea to draw shapes rather than lines, so like patches of color. Also playing with negative and Neon PITT brush pens [thanks Hanna for the tip]. Kind of like pastel|neon in color. Photo not showing colors very well! No idea if they actually glow, but they are cute! PS. At Blick they were less than $12 USD for six but I looked and they are out of stock til August.

And another delightful idea

This is the Platinum Preppy fountain pen I used in the Instagram Live the other day when I drew this starburst mandala. It's a pen I got at Kinokuniya and I've been using it for about a month and I really like it! This is the 02 EF which means extra fine nib. It feels zippy and peppy, a good weight, smooth and consistent lines. I'm using the black ink cartridge that came with the pen. Be sure to get a box of cartridges so you are ready for refills. A cute fountain pen and box of cartridges for less than $15 USD. You can also get it at Jet Pens.

The Preppy works great on regular lined index cards; there's a touch of a bleed on the divider cards [which have a weird coating like the surface of a manila folder].